1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which is used with a computer system which comprises a position indicator and a coordinate detecting device which detects a coordinate indicated by the position indicator. Especially, the present invention relates to an apparatus which mechanically and physically indicates on a tablet indications of menus, switches, etc., which are displayed on a screen of a display device when software or a program is operated in a computer system.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, in a computer system which has a CAD system, a graphic user interface (GUI), etc., selection and operation switches of software functions, such as operation modes and tools, are displayed as icons on a screen of a display device. The icons are in the forms of a button, a sliding bar, etc., and they are displayed on a part of the screen. A user uses an input device such as a digitizer and a mouse to move a cursor onto an icon which indicates a desired function, then executes a click operation whereby the desired function is selected.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional computer system which utilizes a digitizer which comprises a tablet and a pen-shaped position indicator. In the FIG. 1 denotes a display device, 2 a display screen, 3 a computer, 4 a tablet of a digitizer, 5 a frame part of tablet 4, 6 a coordinate position detecting surface, 7 a position indicator, and 7a a tip of the position indicator 7.
In FIG. 1, an example of a display, when an application program for drawing is used, is shown in the screen 2.
The left side of the screen 2 is an area for indicating functions, or a function display area 8. In this function display area 8, a mode menu display 9, a color menu display 10 and a line menu display 11 are displayed. Each menu display is comprised of a plurality of icons, each icon representing a function in a menu. On the left side of menus, triangle-shaped marks 12, 13 and 14 which indicate currently selected functions are displayed.
The mode menu display 9 includes icons which indicate a tool for drawing a straight line, a tool for drawing a rectangular, a tool for drawing a circle, a tool for drawing a free line, and a tool for erasing a drawn line. The color menu display 10 includes icons which indicate a plurality of selectable colors, such as black, white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, form the top. The line menu display 11 includes icons which indicate a plurality of selectable kinds of lines such as a very fine line, a fine line, a thick line and a very thick line, from the top. The area other than the function display area 8 of the screen 2 is an area for display and drawing, that is, a display and drawing area 15. The display and drawing area 15 is an area which a user can freely utilize. In the area 15, a pen-shaped cursor 16 and a drawn line are shown. The shape of the cursor 16 changes in accordance with a selected function. For example, when the tool for drawing a free line is selected, a pen-shaped cursor appears, and when the tool for erasing a drawn line is selected, an eraser-shaped cursor appears.
Area 17, 18 and 19 of left side of the detecting surface 6 of the tablet 4, which are delineated by dotted lines, correspond to the menu displays 9, 10 and 11 of function the display area 8 of the screen 2, respectively. The dotted lines are indicated only for the purpose of explanation, and are not drawn on the actual detecting surface 6.
FIG. 2 shows a main part of the tablet 4 and the computer 3. The tablet 4 includes a plurality of antennas 20, a control part 21 and a coordinate value storage 22.
The antennas 20 are placed beneath the detecting surface 6, and they receive a signal outputted from the position indicator 7. The control part 21 has a function of converting a signal received by the antennas 20 into a signal representing a X-Y coordinate value of X-Y coordinate system of the tablet 4, and a function of generating a control signal corresponding to each X-Y coordinate value. The coordinate value storage 22 stores data which indicate corresponding relations between functions/processes to be executed and coordinate values.
Next, an operation of the application program for drawing will be explained. In this example, it is supposed that the functions of xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free line,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cred,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfine linexe2x80x9d will be selected.
When the application program is started, the function display area 8 including the menu displays 9, 10 and 11, and the display and drawing area 15 are displayed on the screen 2.
A user moves the cursor 16, which is displayed on the screen 2, onto an icon which indicates the desired function. The cursor 16 is moved by contacting or closely placing the tip 7a of the position indicator 7 to the detecting surface 6 of the tablet 4 and moving it.
The user moves the cursor 16 to the icon indicating the xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free linexe2x80x9d of the mode menu display 9. That is, the user indicates, by contacting or closely placing the tip 7a of the position indicator 7, the position in the area 17 of the detecting surface 6 which corresponds to the position of the icon of xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free linexe2x80x9d. Then, the user moves the position indicator 7 away, or lifts it from the detecting surface 6.
The tablet 4 serially receives signals sent from the position indicator 7 by the antennas 20 which are placed under the position that the position indicator 7 points to. The received signals are inputted to the control part 21. Based on the received signals, the control part 21 serially calculates coordinate values (X,Y) of the points that the position indicator 7 has indicated, of the X-Y coordinate system of the tablet 4. The control part 21 stores the last calculated coordinate value, that is, the coordinate value just before the position indicator 7 separates from the detecting surface 6.
To determine which thing the last calculated coordinate value indicates, the control part 21 accesses the coordinate value storage 22 to read data corresponding to the last calculated coordinate value.
The data read from the coordinate value storage 22 indicates that the coordinate value corresponds to the tool for drawing a free line. Based on the extracted data, the control part 21 generates a signal to select the xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free line,xe2x80x9d and sends the signal to the computer 3.
The computer 3 receives the signal and switches the presently executing mode of the application program for drawing to mode of xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free line.xe2x80x9d
When the mode is selected, the triangular mark 12 is displayed on the left side of the icon indicating the xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free line,xe2x80x9d that is, the mark 12 is displayed on the left side of the forth icon of the mode menu display 9, to indicate that the function is presently selected.
In a similar manner, the user selects the third icon from icons of the color menu display 10 to select xe2x80x9cred,xe2x80x9d and selects the second icon from icons of the line menu display 11 to select xe2x80x9cfine line.xe2x80x9d The marks 13 and 14 are respectively displayed on the left sides of the selected icons.
After a setting for drawing is completed, that is, after a selection of a tool, a color and a line is completed, the user starts drawing a picture or a character on the display and drawing area 15. Since the xe2x80x9ctool for drawing a free linexe2x80x9d is selected, the pen-shaped cursor 16 is displayed in the display and drawing area 15. Also, since functions of xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfine linexe2x80x9d are selected, the drawn line is red and fine.
The user puts, at his desired position, the tip 7a of the position indicator 7 in contact (or put closely) with the detecting surface 6 of the tablet 4 and moves it. The cursor 16 moves in correspondence with the movement of the position indicator 7, and a line is drawn on the screen 2 along a trace of movement of the cursor 16.
Another example of a display of a software function is the display of a scroll bar.
In a conventional system, only a part of an image is displayed when a whole of the image cannot be displayed on a display screen. When it is desired to display another part of the image, for example, a part of the right side of the currently displayed part of the image, a scroll process is executed to move the currently displayed part to the left of the screen. For example, when performing a transverse direction scrolling, for example, when it is desired to see the right side part of an image, a user places a cursor on a button of the transverse direction scroll bar which is indicated at the bottom of the screen, and moves the cursor. Then, the button, as indicated, is moved along with the cursor, and the image moves relatively and proportionally in accordance with a distance of the movement of the cursor.
Usually, such a scroll bar is displayed on the bottom or side within a screen of a display device, for example.
Another example of a display in a software function is the display of a switch for a virtual camera. The virtual camera is a software which displays on a display device an image as if the image is seen from the camera, wherein the supporting axis of the camera is fixedly positioned at a point and the camera can be rotated horizontally and vertically, and has a zoom mechanism (see FIG. 7).
With this software, switches such as those for selecting and controlling a horizontal rotation, for selecting and controlling a vertical rotation, and for selecting and controlling a zoom function are displayed on a screen.
Another example of a display on a screen is the display of functions of a system which can execute tilt and rotate processes of a three-dimensional image on a screen, wherein are included displays of switches such as for switching a mode to a mode of tilting and rotating a three-dimensional image and displays of values of tilted and rotated angles.
Another example of a display on a screen is the display of a switch to switch between two modes.
All of the above exemplified displays of functions occupy a predetermined area of a screen of a display device.
Also, as other examples to display menus and switches, there are systems such as a pull-down menu and a pop-up menu. These systems are adapted when it is difficult to display all of the functions of an application program on a screen at one time, due to the large amount of selectable functions.
In a pull-down menu system, an icon which is a switch to open and display a menu is displayed on a screen, for example. In a similar manner as the above examples, an user moves an indicator on a detecting surface of a tablet to move a cursor on a screen onto the icon, then removes the indicator from the detecting surface, thereby opening the menu. As a result, the menu which is comprised of a plurality of icons is displayed, for example, under the icon. At this time, a part of the screen is covered by the menu, therefore the covered part cannot be seen. When a pop-up menu system is used, an open menu is displayed on a desired location of a screen. The user selects a desired function from the menu opened, then closes the menu to remove the display of the menu from the screen.
In the system such as the one shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to use a part of a display screen of a display device to display functions and tools in order to operate a software program. Also, in a system which has other displays for other functions, such as displays of scroll bars, switches of a virtual camera, switches for tilting and rotating a three-dimensional image and indications of tilted and rotated angles, etc., as exemplified above, these displays are displayed on a part of a display screen, namely, a part of a display screen has to be used for such displays.
Therefore, a display and drawing area, which is freely usable, on a screen of a display device becomes narrower.
Also, when using a pull-down menu system or a pop-up menu system, it is necessary to execute operational steps such as the opening of a menu and, after the selection of a function, the closing of said menu. In other words, to use the above system, it is necessary to perform additional operational steps. Further, since the displayed menu vanishes from the screen when the menu is closed, the present setting cannot be seen or checked.
An object of the invention is to provide an indication apparatus for a digitizer, which removes displays of functions, which are necessary to operate a software, from a display screen of a display device to widen a freely usable area of the display screen; which requires no additional operational step in a software program; and which makes it possible to easily check current settings.
In the present invention, in a system comprising a digitizer which includes a position indicator and a coordinate detecting device which is in the form of a tablet, has a coordinate detecting surface which is indicated by said position indicator, and has a selection/indication area within said coordinate detecting surface to select/indicate data processing functions; a display device which has a display screen to display an image; And a computer which controls said digitizer and said display device; wherein the data processing functions are selected/indicated by using said position indicator to perform an image processing; the system comprises:
an indication part which is located within said selection/indication area of said coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of the data processing functions to be visually observed, and
a control means which selects a desired data processing function based on a data inputted via said indication part and processes a data based on the selected data processing function,
wherein said indication part comprises
an engaging means which temporarily engages with said position indicator and is movable together with engaged said position indicator,
an indicator means, which is movable with said engaging means which is temporarily engaged with said position indicator, to visually indicate a selected/indicated data processing function, and
a supporting means to engage and support said indicator means.
Also, in the present invention, in a system comprising a digitizer which includes a position indicator which is in the form of a pen and a coordinate detecting device which is in the form of a tablet, has a coordinate detecting surface which is indicated by said position indicator, and has a selection/indication area within said coordinate detecting surface to select/indicate data processing functions, wherein a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator with respect to its indicating position of said coordinate detecting surface can be detected; a display device which has a display screen to display an image; and a computer which controls said digitizer and said display device; wherein the data processing functions are selected/indicated by using said position indicator to perform an image processing; the system comprises:
an indication part which is located within said selection/indication area of said coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of the data processing functions to be visually observed, wherein said indication part comprises
an indication means which is comprised of a part having a spherical surface and an engaging means, wherein said engaging means is in the form of a hole on said spherical surface and is a means into which said position indicator is inserted to engage said position indicator with said indication part wherein said hole is also a means to visually indicate a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator, and
a supporting means which engages and supports said indication means in such a manner that said position indicator can be rotated and tilted to a desired position when said position indicator is inserted in said engaging means and that said supporting means maintains the same position of said indication means as that when said position indicator is pulled out from said engaging means; and
a control means which executes data processing functions in accordance with a rotation angle data and a tilt angle data inputted in association with said indication means.
Also, in the present invention, in a coordinate detecting device used in a digitizer which includes a position indicator, wherein the coordinate detecting device is in the form of a tablet, the coordinate detecting device comprises
an indication part which is positioned within a selection/indication area, to select/indicate a data processing function, of a coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of the data processing functions to be visually observed,
wherein said indication part includes
an engaging means which temporarily engages with said position indicator and is movable together with engaged said position indicator,
an indicator means, which is movable with said engaging means which is temporarily engaged with said position indicator, to visually indicate a selected/indicated data processing function, and
a supporting means to engage and support said indicator means.
Also, in the present invention, in a coordinate detecting device, in the form of a tablet, of a digitizer, wherein said digitizer includes a position indicator in the form of a pen and can detect a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator with respect to its indicating position of a coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device, the coordinate detecting device comprises
an indication part which is located within a selection/indication area of said coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of data processing functions to be visually observed, wherein said indication part comprises
an indication means which is comprised of a part having a spherical surface and has an engaging means, wherein said engaging means is in the form of a hole on said spherical surface and is a means into which said position indicator is inserted to engage said position indicator with said indication part, wherein said hole is also a means to visually indicate a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator, and
a supporting means which engages and supports said indication means in such a manner that said position indicator can be rotated and tilted to a desired position when said position indicator is inserted in said engaging means and that said supporting means maintains the same position of said indication means as that when said position indicator is pulled out from said engaging means.
Also, in the present invention, in an assisting apparatus which is used with a digitizer and separately constructed from said digitizer, wherein said digitizer includes apposition indicator and a coordinate detecting device which is in the form of a tablet, has a coordinate detecting surface which is indicated by said position indicator, and has a selection/indication area within said coordinate detecting surface to select/indicate data processing functions, the assisting apparatus comprises
an indication part which is constructed in such a manner that it is placed within and onto said selection/indication area of said coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of data processing functions to be visually observed,
wherein said indication part includes
an engaging means which temporarily engages with said position indicator and is movable together with engaged said position indicator,
an indicator means, which is movable with said engaging means which is temporarily engaged with said position indicator, to visually indicate a selected/indicated data processing function, and
a supporting means to engage and support said indicator means.
Also, in the present invention, in an assisting apparatus which is used with a digitizer which includes a position indicator which is in the form of a pen and a coordinate detecting device which is in the form of a tablet, and which is separately constructed from said digitizer, wherein said digitizer can detect a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator with respect to its indicating position of a coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device, the assisting apparatus comprises
an indication part which is constructed in such a manner that it is placed within and onto a selection/indication area of said coordinate detecting surface of said coordinate detecting device and makes it possible the status of selections/indications of data processing functions to be visually observed, wherein said indication part comprises
an indication means which is comprised of a part having a spherical surface and has an engaging means, wherein said engaging means is in the form of a hole on said spherical surface and is a means into which said position indicator is inserted to engage said position indicator with said indication part, and said hole is also a means to visually indicate a rotational angle and a tilting angle of said position indicator, and
a supporting means which engages and supports said indication means in such a manner that said position indicator can be rotated and tilted to a desired position when said position indicator is inserted in said engaging means and that said supporting means maintains the same position of said indication means as that when said position indicator is pulled out from said engaging means.
By adapting the above constructions, a freely usable area of a display screen becomes wider and it becomes possible to easily check current setting conditions, without any additional operational steps of a software program.
Also, by separately constructing the indication part, that is, by separately constructing an assisting apparatus, it becomes unnecessary to modify an existing tablet. Also, by constructing a corresponding assisting apparatus for each application program and by changing the assisting apparatus in accordance with a selected application program, the setting conditions of any application programs can be easily visually checked.